Bread

If you love homemade Bread as much as I do, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Cranberry Cornbread, the Magic Caterpillar Peanut Butter Bread (no caterpillars were harmed for this yumminess!), and the rest of today's post. Enjoy!

EGG CINNAMON BREAD



I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.





Ingredients

2 envelopes yeast

1 C warm water

1-2 T honey

1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)

1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2 eggs, beaten

6-7 C unbleached white flour

1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2-3 C cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.

Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.

Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

BEST EVER NO FAT BANANA BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves: 16; Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 egg substitutes

1/4 cup water or soymilk

1 2/3 cups flour of choice (I use whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

cinnamon to taste (I use several shakes worth)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees & spray a 9 inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using a standard loaf pan, increase heat to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together first five ingredients until well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.

Dump flour mixture into the wet and stir just until uniformly moist. DO NOT OVERMIX! Depending on the type of flour you use, you may need to add a little extra water or soymilk to reach the right consistency. The dough should be somewhere in between pancake batter and cookie dough.

Dump into prepared pan and give it a couple shakes to distribute the batter.

Place on the middle oven rack and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. (If using a standard loaf pan, increase baking time.) Check the bread at around 30 minutes. It is done when just starting to brown around the edges and still a little moist looking in the middle. Allow to cool ten minutes before cutting into squares or slices.

The recipe ends with, “Cover and hide the bread so no one else eats it!!”

LOW FAT BANANA ORANGE BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

2/3 c. shortening (Promise butter)

1 c. sugar

4 eggs (substitute Egg Beaters, 1 lg. carton)

2 1/2 c. sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. mashed ripe bananas

1 c. orange juice

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 tbsp. grated orange peel

Directions

Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs; beat well. Sift dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture alternating with mashed banana and orange juice; blend well. Add orange peel. Stir in nuts. Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans, 9"x5"x3". Bake 45 to 50 minutes until done. Remove. Cool on rack. Wrap. Freeze one. Yield: 2 loaves.

BANANA MUFFINS WITH TART LEMON ICING

This came from a Weight Watchers email list maybe a decade or more ago. The points value is from then.

The recipe begins, “If the mouth-puckering lemon icing isn’t enough flavor for you, try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture.”

Servings: 18, 1 muffin per serving, Points: 3

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 large egg(s)

2 tsp vanilla extract, divided

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup fat-free skim milk

4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.

Place sugar & 5 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl; cream with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.

In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder & baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined & then fold in mashed bananas.

Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan about 2 minutes; remove to wire rack and cool completely before icing.

Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon butter, lemon juice, zest, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in medium bowl; beat with electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins.

MAGIC CATERPILLAR PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live. However, you might be able to check out a few episodes by Google-ing his name for the latest places that show him, or on YouTube. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/. This recipe yields 1 loaf.



Ingredients:

1 package Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

For decoration: tubes of colored frosting, candies, gumdrops, licorice, etc.

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Combine milk, peanut butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Let cool to lukewarm, then add to yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until flour is thoroughly incorporated.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Rinse and dry bowl, then lightly oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Roll dough into a rope about 24 inches long. Form rope into a large S shape on a lightly greased 18x12-inch baking sheet. Using a butter knife or dough scraper, chop rope into 3-inch sections, but do not separate completely. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (The caterpillar will magically grow back together during rising and baking.)

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaf 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate cooled loaf with frosting and gumdrops or other candy. Poke holes in the sides with a wooden pick and insert sections of licorice for legs.

Note: Decorating gel doesn't work as well as frosting as a glue for the candy decorations, so make sure you pick up the right tube at the store. Any candies will work to make spots for the caterpillar's sections. Thin red licorice makes the perfect legs and antennae, unless you know your youngsters prefer the flavor of black licorice.

CRANBERRY CORNBREAD

This is from Vallery Lomas in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. It begins, "Cranberries meet cornbread in this one-bowl fall mashup. A crunchy golden edge forms around the cornbread thanks to the hot skillet the batter is poured into. The mixture crisps in the oven-melted butter that coats the pan, resulting in browning and caramelization that delivers maximum flavor. While baking, the fresh cranberries soften, ensuring a burst of juicy tartness with each bite. Use either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal, as coarse varieties make for an overly gritty bite."

Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022718-cranberry-cornbread.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving

1-1/4 cups fine- or medium-grind yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries

Directions

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat oven to 375 degrees. Place the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, and place the skillet in the oven to melt the butter.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add the eggs and buttermilk, and whisk until combined.

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. The butter should be completely melted. Pour about three-quarters of the melted butter into the cornmeal batter, and stir until combined. Pour the batter into the hot skillet, and sprinkle the cranberries evenly over the top.

Bake until the cornbread is browned around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot with butter.

Email List Recipes - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post has a common link running through it: all of these recipes came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Let's face it: most of us who've had emails for any length of time manage to collect emails from a variety of places – family, friends, businesses, as well as long-since-forgotten lists. These recipes are from lists that I no longer remember, but are still worth posting, including Low Fat Banana Orange Bread and Vegetable Manicotti. Enjoy!

BEST EVER NO FAT BANANA BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves: 16; Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 egg substitutes

1/4 cup water or soymilk

1 2/3 cups flour of choice (I use whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

cinnamon to taste (I use several shakes worth)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees & spray a 9 inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using a standard loaf pan, increase heat to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together first five ingredients until well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.

Dump flour mixture into the wet and stir just until uniformly moist. DO NOT OVERMIX! Depending on the type of flour you use, you may need to add a little extra water or soymilk to reach the right consistency. The dough should be somewhere in between pancake batter and cookie dough.

Dump into prepared pan and give it a couple shakes to distribute the batter.

Place on the middle oven rack and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. (If using a standard loaf pan, increase baking time.) Check the bread at around 30 minutes. It is done when just starting to brown around the edges and still a little moist looking in the middle. Allow to cool ten minutes before cutting into squares or slices.

The recipe ends with, “Cover and hide the bread so no one else eats it!!”

LOW FAT BANANA ORANGE BREAD

This also came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

2/3 c. shortening (Promise butter)

1 c. sugar

4 eggs (substitute Egg Beaters, 1 lg. carton)

2 1/2 c. sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. mashed ripe bananas

1 c. orange juice

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 tbsp. grated orange peel

Directions

Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs; beat well. Sift dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture alternating with mashed banana and orange juice; blend well. Add orange peel. Stir in nuts. Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans, 9"x5"x3". Bake 45 to 50 minutes until done. Remove. Cool on rack. Wrap. Freeze one. Yield: 2 loaves.

MINI APPLE PIES

Another recipe from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. The notes on here are from the original author.

Ingredients

4 ramekins (small glazed ceramic serving bowls)

2 large tart-sweet apples (I use ones that are half green half red)

2 Tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch or 1 Tablespoons flour

1-2 Tablespoons vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)

2 Tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar

apple pie spice

1/4 cup rolled oats

2 Tablespoons flour

raw sugar

The ingredient amounts are approximations, I just guess as I go!

Directions

Cut apples into 1/2 " dice and place into a bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons arrowroot, a few big shakes of pie spice and the liquid sweetener. Mix until evenly coated and pack down into ramekins leaving 1/2" from top.

In a bowl mix oats and margarine until combined add flour. Mixture should look like crumbly oats, if too dry add more margarine.

Distribute between ramekins, lightly packing on top, sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. The top will give when pressed, & you will see bubbling.

GLAZED BAKED HAM

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 12 lb. ham

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon mustard

1/4 cup pineapple juice

6 slices fresh or canned pineapple

6 maraschino cherries

Place ham, fat side up on rack in open roasting pan. Bake in 350*F oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Combine sugar, mustard & pineapple juice. Remove ham from oven 45 minutes prior to completed baking time. Pour off excess fat. Spread 1/3 of the glaze on fat side. Arrange pineapple slices & cherries on the glaze, pressing firmly. Return to oven & baste with remaining glaze at 15 minute intervals.

VEGETABLE MANICOTTI

This recipe begins, “A great back-to-school recipe, this manicotti can be prepared in advance and kept frozen until you are ready to bake them.” Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup carrots, shredded

1/2 cup zucchini, shredded

1 cup spinach, chopped

2 cups plain yogurt cheese

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 eggs

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

12 manicotti shells, cooked

1 32oz jar tomato sauce

Directions

Using layered cheesecloth, strain the whey from 1 quart of yogurt overnight to make yogurt cheese. One quart of yogurt will yield approximately 2 cups of yogurt cheese.

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, and cook manicotti noodles until still slightly firm, being careful not to overcook. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a 9x13 baking dish, coat the bottom of the dish with 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, fold vegetables, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, herbs, salt, pepper & eggs into yogurt cheese. Using a spoon, gently fill the manicotti shells with the cheese & vegetable mixture & place in the baking dish. Once shells have been filled, top manicotti with remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with remaining shredded cheese & bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Serve warm.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Another one from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

7 cups halved and thinly-sliced onions

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

6 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1/3 cup dry sherry

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 French bread loaf, cut 1/2" thick slices

10 ounces shredded Jarlsberg or Gruyere cheese

Directions

In large, heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil over medium heat. Stir in onions, sugar, & salt. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Reduce heat, cover & cook 10 minutes. Remove lid & cook 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add remaining butter to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized & very soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in flour & cook 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in broth, sherry, thyme, salt to taste & pepper. Cover & simmer 15 minutes, adding more salt if needed. Preheat broiler. Lightly toast bread slices. Ladle soup into 6 ovenproof bowls or crocks & arrange on baking sheet. Put enough bread on top of each serving, cutting & fitting if necessary to cover soup. Sprinkle bread with shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly & golden. Serve hot. Serves 8.

Bread (And Muffins)

I have a friend who frequently posts to various social media when she's baking homemade bread. It's enough to make one want to bake up a loaf or two.

So, today's post deals with five bread recipes and a muffin recipe, including Magic Caterpillar Peanut Butter Bread, Mexican Chocolate-Zucchini Bread, and Banana Muffins with Tart Lemon Icing. Enjoy!

EGG CINNAMON BREAD



I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.





2 envelopes yeast

1 C warm water

1-2 T honey

1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)

1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2 eggs, beaten

6-7 C unbleached white flour

1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2-3 C cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.

Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.

Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

BEST EVER NO FAT BANANA BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves: 16; Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 egg substitutes

1/4 cup water or soymilk

1 2/3 cups flour of choice (I use whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

cinnamon to taste (I use several shakes worth)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees & spray a 9 inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using a standard loaf pan, increase heat to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together first five ingredients until well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.

Dump flour mixture into the wet and stir just until uniformly moist. DO NOT OVERMIX! Depending on the type of flour you use, you may need to add a little extra water or soymilk to reach the right consistency. The dough should be somewhere in between pancake batter and cookie dough.

Dump into prepared pan and give it a couple shakes to distribute the batter.

Place on the middle oven rack and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. (If using a standard loaf pan, increase baking time.) Check the bread at around 30 minutes. It is done when just starting to brown around the edges and still a little moist looking in the middle. Allow to cool ten minutes before cutting into squares or slices.

The recipe ends with, “Cover and hide the bread so no one else eats it!!”

LOW FAT BANANA ORANGE BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

2/3 c. shortening (Promise butter)

1 c. sugar

4 eggs (substitute Egg Beaters, 1 lg. carton)

2 1/2 c. sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. mashed ripe bananas

1 c. orange juice

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 tbsp. grated orange peel

Directions

Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs; beat well. Sift dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture alternating with mashed banana and orange juice; blend well. Add orange peel. Stir in nuts. Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans, 9"x5"x3". Bake 45 to 50 minutes until done. Remove. Cool on rack. Wrap. Freeze one. Yield: 2 loaves.

BANANA MUFFINS WITH TART LEMON ICING

This came from a Weight Watchers email list maybe a decade or more ago. The points value is from then.

The recipe begins, “If the mouth-puckering lemon icing isn’t enough flavor for you, try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture.”

Servings: 18, 1 muffin per serving, Points: 3

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 large egg(s)

2 tsp vanilla extract, divided

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup fat-free skim milk

4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.

Place sugar & 5 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl; cream with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.

In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder & baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined & then fold in mashed bananas.

Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan about 2 minutes; remove to wire rack and cool completely before icing.

Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon butter, lemon juice, zest, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in medium bowl; beat with electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins.

MAGIC CATERPILLAR PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live. However, you might be able to check out a few episodes by Google-ing his name for the latest places that show him, or on YouTube. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/. This recipe yields 1 loaf.



Ingredients:

1 package Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

For decoration: tubes of colored frosting, candies, gumdrops, licorice, etc.

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Combine milk, peanut butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Let cool to lukewarm, then add to yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until flour is thoroughly incorporated.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Rinse and dry bowl, then lightly oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Roll dough into a rope about 24 inches long. Form rope into a large S shape on a lightly greased 18x12-inch baking sheet. Using a butter knife or dough scraper, chop rope into 3-inch sections, but do not separate completely. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (The caterpillar will magically grow back together during rising and baking.)

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaf 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate cooled loaf with frosting and gumdrops or other candy. Poke holes in the sides with a wooden pick and insert sections of licorice for legs.

Note: Decorating gel doesn't work as well as frosting as a glue for the candy decorations, so make sure you pick up the right tube at the store. Any candies will work to make spots for the caterpillar's sections. Thin red licorice makes the perfect legs and antennae, unless you know your youngsters prefer the flavor of black licorice.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE-ZUCCHINI BREAD

This comes from Deb Wise on MyRecipes. She wrote, “Got a boatload of zucchini? A loaf of so-simple quick bread is a delightful, kid-friendly way to put it to use. This decadent twist spices up classic zucchini bread with cocoa powder, cinnamon, a rich chocolate glaze, and roasted pepitas. Easy-to-make, incredibly moist, and intensely chocolatey, this Mexican Chocolate Zucchini Bread is sure to be a new favorite.”

Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Yield: Serves: 10 (serving size: 1 slice)

To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-chocolate-zucchini-bread.

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini

1 2/3 cups (about 7 1/8 oz.) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. roasted and salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), divided

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate baking bar, finely chopped

1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with baking spray.

Place eggs in a large bowl; lightly whisk. Add granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Stir in grated zucchini.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl just until combined. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the pepitas into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top with spatula. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool bread in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of pan to loosen bread. Remove bread from pan, and cool completely on rack, about 1 hour.

Combine cream and bittersweet chocolate in a medium-size microwaveable bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM until chocolate melts, about 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Add powdered sugar, and stir until smooth. Drizzle glaze over top of cooled bread. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons pepitas.

Emailing List Recipes

Today's post has a common link running through it: all of these recipes came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Let's face it: most of us who've had emails for any length of time manage to collect emails from a variety of places – family, friends, businesses, as well as long-since-forgotten lists. These recipes are from lists that I no longer remember, but are still worth posting, including Low Fat Banana Orange Bread and Glazed Baked Ham. Enjoy!

BEST EVER NO FAT BANANA BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves: 16; Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 egg substitutes

1/4 cup water or soymilk

1 2/3 cups flour of choice (I use whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

cinnamon to taste (I use several shakes worth)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees & spray a 9 inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using a standard loaf pan, increase heat to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together first five ingredients until well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.

Dump flour mixture into the wet and stir just until uniformly moist. DO NOT OVERMIX! Depending on the type of flour you use, you may need to add a little extra water or soymilk to reach the right consistency. The dough should be somewhere in between pancake batter and cookie dough.

Dump into prepared pan and give it a couple shakes to distribute the batter.

Place on the middle oven rack and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. (If using a standard loaf pan, increase baking time.) Check the bread at around 30 minutes. It is done when just starting to brown around the edges and still a little moist looking in the middle. Allow to cool ten minutes before cutting into squares or slices.

The recipe ends with, “Cover and hide the bread so no one else eats it!!”

LOW FAT BANANA ORANGE BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

2/3 c. shortening (Promise butter)

1 c. sugar

4 eggs (substitute Egg Beaters, 1 lg. carton)

2 1/2 c. sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. mashed ripe bananas

1 c. orange juice

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 tbsp. grated orange peel

Directions

Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs; beat well. Sift dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture alternating with mashed banana and orange juice; blend well. Add orange peel. Stir in nuts. Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans, 9"x5"x3". Bake 45 to 50 minutes until done. Remove. Cool on rack. Wrap. Freeze one. Yield: 2 loaves.

MINI APPLE PIES

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. The notes on here are from the original author.

Ingredients

4 ramekins (small glazed ceramic serving bowls)

2 large tart-sweet apples (I use ones that are half green half red)

2 Tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch or 1 Tablespoons flour

1-2 Tablespoons vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)

2 Tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar

apple pie spice

1/4 cup rolled oats

2 Tablespoons flour

raw sugar

The ingredient amounts are approximations, I just guess as I go!

Directions

Cut apples into 1/2 " dice and place into a bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons arrowroot, a few big shakes of pie spice and the liquid sweetener. Mix until evenly coated and pack down into ramekins leaving 1/2" from top.

In a bowl mix oats and margarine until combined add flour. Mixture should look like crumbly oats, if too dry add more margarine.

Distribute between ramekins, lightly packing on top, sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. The top will give when pressed, & you will see bubbling.

GLAZED BAKED HAM

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 12 lb. ham

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon mustard

1/4 cup pineapple juice

6 slices fresh or canned pineapple

6 maraschino cherries

Place ham, fat side up on rack in open roasting pan. Bake in 350*F oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Combine sugar, mustard & pineapple juice. Remove ham from oven 45 minutes prior to completed baking time. Pour off excess fat. Spread 1/3 of the glaze on fat side. Arrange pineapple slices & cherries on the glaze, pressing firmly. Return to oven & baste with remaining glaze at 15 minute intervals.

VEGETABLE MANICOTTI

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. It begins, “A great back-to-school recipe, this manicotti can be prepared in advance and kept frozen until you are ready to bake them.” Yields: 6 servings

1/2 cup carrots, shredded

1/2 cup zucchini, shredded

1 cup spinach, chopped

2 cups plain yogurt cheese

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 eggs

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

12 manicotti shells, cooked

1 32oz jar tomato sauce

Using layered cheesecloth, strain the whey from 1 quart of yogurt overnight to make yogurt cheese. One quart of yogurt will yield approximately 2 cups of yogurt cheese.

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, and cook manicotti noodles until still slightly firm, being careful not to overcook. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a 9x13 baking dish, coat the bottom of the dish with 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, fold vegetables, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, herbs, salt, pepper & eggs into yogurt cheese. Using a spoon, gently fill the manicotti shells with the cheese & vegetable mixture & place in the baking dish. Once shells have been filled, top manicotti with remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with remaining shredded cheese & bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Serve warm.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

7 cups halved and thinly-sliced onions

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

6 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1/3 cup dry sherry

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 French bread loaf, cut 1/2" thick slices

10 ounces shredded Jarlsberg or Gruyere cheese

In large, heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil over medium heat. Stir in onions, sugar, & salt. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Reduce heat, cover & cook 10 minutes. Remove lid & cook 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add remaining butter to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized & very soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in flour & cook 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in broth, sherry, thyme, salt to taste & pepper. Cover & simmer 15 minutes, adding more salt if needed. Preheat broiler. Lightly toast bread slices. Ladle soup into 6 ovenproof bowls or crocks & arrange on baking sheet. Put enough bread on top of each serving, cutting & fitting if necessary to cover soup. Sprinkle bread with shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly & golden. Serve hot. Serves 8.